This is the third show I've said goodbye to since I began blogging two years ago. The Sopranos' ending in June 2007 was polarizing for some, but for me felt totally appropriate, for reasons I've said before.

The Wire -- which went off the air earlier this year -- wrapped things up very neatly, in a way that stayed true to the nature of the series.

I liked both those shows, overall, better than The Shield, yet it was The Shield, which wrapped up less than 90 minutes ago, that had the better finale. Or to put it more accurately, a finale that left me feeling beaten and drained, but grateful for having seen it. To paraphrase Mick Jagger, my brain's been battered, splattered all over Los Angeles. It was just about perfect, and if you haven't seen it yet, this is a good time to stop reading.

Vic Mackey gets away with it. Well, he walks away free from prosecution, and physically unharmed. He doesn't go to jail, get shot or commit suicide (although that final scene made me wonder). But he's also a pariah, friendless and abandoned by his family, trapped in an immunity agreement that literally disarms him and sticks him with a desk job analyzing gang activity.

It's far from a fitting punishment for Mackey's trail of destruction, but it is a punishment, three years in a cubicle with the hum of flourescent lights for company, with no guarantees of employment after that. That final scene was amazing, Mackey alone at his desk, the camera focusing on his face, using the stillness to great effect. And although there's been a lot of talk about how Shield creator didn't want a "screen-goes-black-in-the-diner" ending to the show, the final scene was somewhat ambiguous. Where was Mackey going? To the scene of the shooting? To find Corrine? Was he quitting? Planning on killing himself?

As usual, it was those in Mackey's circle that got the real punishments. Shane ended his terrible, tragic part in the story by killing himself, after giving his wife and young son a sleeping pill overdose. He also givies the term "family meeting" -- the title of this episode -- a horrifying new meaning. Dear god, that was hard to watch, especially in light of everything that came before it in the episode: Shane and Mara naming their unborn baby (Frances Abigail, although they note they could call her "Franny Abby" if she does something cute), Shane helping the injured, pregnant Mara to the toilet, Mara reading to Jackson just before the "meeting."

Almost as difficult was hearing Claudette read Shane's suicide note, and watching Vic come close to cracking. (He waits until she's out of the room, and tears the camera from the interrogation room wall.) Ronnie, meanwhile, finally does crack. Always the coolest member of the Strike Team, he loses it after he learns Vic sold him out. The scene contained one of my favorite exchanges of the episode:

Dutch to Ronnie: Ronald Everett Gardocki, you're under arrest.

Ronnie: For what?

Dutch (exasperated): For the last three years.

After which, of course, he lists a few of the many things Ronnie has been involved in. Our last glimpse of him is as the uniformed cops lead him away in cuffs.

A prediction I'm glad didn't come true: That Dutch would either be killed or successfully framed by Lloyd. That storyline, in the end, wasn't really even about Dutch, but rather Dutch and his friendship with Claudette. It was about friendship and trust triumph over lies and manipulation, a good vs. evil moment in a series that didn't let good win very often.

Some other thoughts:

I'm glad Billings was still around for comic relief in such a bleak episode. Incidentally, the actress who played his attorney is married to Jay Karnes (who plays Dutch) in real life.

The U.S. Marshall who escorts Corrine and the kids to their new home is played by Clark Johnson, who directed this episode (and the pilot). His TV direction is always good, but he's also a very likable presence as an actor, as anyone who watched Homicide or the final season of The Wire can tell you. Incidentally, Johnson also directed The Wire's first and last episodes.

According to an interview Shawn Ryan did with Alan Sepinwall, the songs that opened and closed the finale were -- respectively -- "Los Angeles" by the punk band X and "Long Time Ago" by Concrete Blonde. They were both used quite well. The bittersweet Concrete Blonde song played over a montage of some of the series' key moments (showing many of the characters in happier times). "Los Angeles" played as Mackey drove through what seemed like an all-bad version of the city, nothing but prostitutes, dealers, pawnshops and stray dogs. It was like something out of Taxi Driver.

So the entire series took place over the course of three years? Mackey's kids -- and for that matter, Jackson -- must have some sort of rapid aging syndrome.

And that's it. Any other thoughts are most welcome, but I've said what I need to. Thanks, Shawn Ryan, cast members, and writers, for seven great seasons.

Current Comments

I sat and stared at the tv for 5 minutes after the Soprano ending wondering what happened but I've really grown to appreciate how it wrapped up.
On the Shield finale, it was a great way to wrap up a series. You can't tie every plot line together but they did a great job with all the major chararacters.

I thought it was odd when Shane gave the family meeting line and then the police show up so you knew bad was about to happen. Quite a remarkable and painful scene.

So much great use of silence in the last two episodes with Vic especially as the pace of the show contrasted greatly with Vic silence during his confession, with Claudia, and his new job.

Olivia telling him to put his report in memo form, single spac- ten pages everyday by 6P made me laugh as I'm not sure anyone could do that every day.

Last scene with Vic was outstanding - when he got the spare gun out I was thinking they couldn't have two suicides in the final. Vic's look as he puts the gun in his waist band made me think he thinks he's gonna be fine.

great show .

Posted By: gianluca | Nov 26, 2008 8:05:07 AM

I'm guessing he's going out to prowl the streets. I can see a possible arrest for impersonating a police officer in Vic's future, that or life as a shady private eye. The series hinted at that in the past, introducing ex-cop characters who had clearly been as crooked as Mackey had been when they were "on the job."

Whew, what a show! To be honest, I hate t.v., but Homicide: Life on the Street, The Shield and Dexter have me warming up a bit. I usuallly dont have time for t.v., but I make time for The Shield. Excellent show, characters, acting and that oh so ambiguous ending....gotta love it. Definitely sorry to see it end.

Posted By: Vern | Nov 30, 2008 12:49:21 PM

Vern,

There's good stuff out there. I haven't seen season three of Dexter yet, but the first two seasons were amazing. Homicide is one of my all-time favorites, and I don't think The Shield would have existed without it.

Posted By: Tom Coombe | Nov 30, 2008 1:23:45 PM

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